Office of Children, Youth and Families

Mandated by law to protect children from abuse and neglect. Provides a wide range of preventive, protection, and supportive services to work with children and families, with emphasis on family preservation. Provides direct services through caseworkers, case aides, and a network of contracted agencies.

Special Efforts

Find the Room in Your Heart – Family Visitation Room ProjectWhen children are removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect, parents and children often have supervised visits with each other at one of the CYF Family Visitation Rooms located at the five CYF regional offices. Keeping these rooms welcoming and well-equipped is an on-going challenge. Interested persons can help in this effort in many ways.

From Almshouses to Excellence: A History of Child Welfare in Allegheny County (11.2 MB)For 50 years, Allegheny County government has been responsible for providing public child welfare services for the residents of Allegheny County. To commemorate this significant anniversary, a publication was commissioned by the Department of Human Services to chronicle the history of child welfare in the county. While Allegheny County is now recognized as a national leader in creating better outcomes for children and families, this was not always the case. This publication describes the evolution of child welfare in Allegheny County, from the almshouses and orphanages of the 18th and 19th centuries, to the reforms of the 20th century, to the current emphasis on integrated services that focus on family strength and permanency for children.

KIDS - The application and its historyThe KIDS (Key Information and Demographics System) application is a fully integrated child welfare management application that supports the records management process from the initial reporting of allegations of child abuse or neglect through the delivery and payment of services.

Allegheny County has divided the provision of child welfare services between three distinct entities that provide three distinct types of services. The DHS Office of Children, Youth and Families (CYF) provides services for children and families who are at risk for, or are experiencing, child abuse or neglect. The Juvenile Probation Office (JPO) provides placement services and support for delinquent youth. Shuman Center provides temporary shelter for youth who are awaiting adjudication.

In Pennsylvania, child welfare services are administered at the county level. DHS has assumed the lead role in the administration of fiscal and most contractual responsibilities for child welfare services in Allegheny County. (See details below.)

FiscalFunding for all services for children, youth and young adults is allotted from the State in one sum to the County child welfare system (CYF, JPO and Shuman Center) according to the annual Allegheny County Needs-Based Plan and Budget. All child welfare reimbursement invoices are filed with the State by CYF and all child welfare reimbursements flow back to CYF. CYF then reimburses the joint child welfare account based on actual costs incurred at the level of the individual child for any services received through CYF, JPO or Shuman Center.

Consolidated and centralized financial accounting of all aspects of child welfare services in Allegheny County allows for more accurate and timely reporting. It also enables the improved coordination of county-delivered services.

ContractsThe DHS Office of Administration is the repository for all contracts for CYF and JPO. (Shuman Center administers its own contracts.) DHS acts as the administrative agent of CYF and JPO, assuming the responsibility for establishing contracts and submitting financial and program reports of behalf of both. In addition, DHS has the responsibility to select, evaluate and monitor contracted providers of CYF-related services.